Fuel burner



Jan. 6, 1942.

F. s.- BLooM FUEL BURNER Filed Aug. 19'. 1940 lPatented Jan. '6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATEN T o FFI CE Frederick S. Bloom, Pittsburgh, Pa. Application August 19, 19.40, Serial No. 353,157

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to combustion apparatus and, in particular, to a burner for the combustion of a fluid fuel such as hydrocarbon gas.

In many heating applications, it is desirable that a fuel burner discharge combustion products in a generally horizontal direction. In some such applications, however, it is most convenient to supply the air -for combustion with,the fuel through a generally vertical pipe or duct. This involves the necessity of a sharp bend in the path of the air adjacent the' burner and lresults in non-uniform distribution of the air within the burner. For uniform combustion conditions and a high combustion efllciency, it is desirable that the distribution of the air within the burner be discovered that the air entering the tubular body portion of Athe burner was not uniformly distributed but had ay higher velocity on the side vof the burner body opposite that at which the air entered the air chamber than on the other side. This made it impossible to surround a central jet of fuel with 'a uniform amount of air at all points'therearound.

I have invented a novel burner which achieves the desired uniform distribution of air around a central fuel jet. In a preferred embodiment, I provide means guiding the air entering a substantiallyL horizontal tubular burner body, along generally radial paths. By this construction, a uniform distribution is obtained, despite the fact that air is supplied to the air chamber atonly one side thereof. The novel features and advantages of the invention will be described more fully and explained Ain detail with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment. In the drawing, 1

, Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a burner according tothe invention, installed in a heating apparatus such as a furnace;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the plane of line II-DI of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a yiew similar to Fig. 2 taken along the plane of line III-UI of Fig. 1.

. Referring now'in detail to the drawing, the burner of my invention indicated generally at annular shape, extending around the rear end of the body portion II. The burner block I2 may, for example, be incorporated in `a furnace wall or the like' Iza. As shown in the drawing,

. the'body portion II and the air chamber I4 are integral but they may also be composed of separately fabricated parts suitably assembled. It will be observed that the rear end of the tubular body portion II terminates short of .the adjacent or rear wall of the chamber I4, vleaving an annular space therebetween through which air may flow from the chamber into the body portion I I, as indicated by the arrows.

The chamber I4 is provided with a radial connection I5 to which an air supply duct I6 extending generally vertically, is adapted to be connected.

'I'he rear wall of the chamber I4 has an opening I1 therein which is normally closed by a cover plate I8 detachably secured thereto. The plate I8 has a fuel nozzle I9 extending therefrom into the rear end of the tubular .body portion I I and is also adapted to have a fuel-supply pipe 20 connected thereto.

An induction tube 2| is mounted centrally in.

the tubular body portion II on radial. spacers 22. A second induction tube v23 is mounted on the I tube 2 I. The tubes 23 and 2 I form with the noz- Il comprises principally a 'tubular body portion 55 zle I9 a passage of increasing cross sectional area for the fuel supplied through the pipe 2|). Air is induced into the fuel streamthrough the annularspaces 4between the nozzle I9 and the tube 23 and between the tubes 23 and 2 I. The amount of air induced is controlled 'by the adjustment of annular valves 24 and 25 slidable'respectively on the tube 23 and the nozzle I9. mounted. on push rods extending through the cover plate I8 and secured to .projections extending radially from the valves, whereby to manipulate the latter.

Plane guide vanes or baffles 21 are disposed radially in the space between the outer end of the tubular body portion II of the burner and the cover plate I8 through which the entering air flows. These vanes may be mounted in any suitable manner but may conveniently be formed integral with the cover plate I8. The Vanes 21 serve to preclude the air passing around the out; er end of the tubular body portion I I from flowing circumferentially thereof. Instead, the baffies conilne the air tovradial paths as illustrated in Fig. 2. .This causes the air to be substantially Knobs 26 are air is substantially the same at all points around Vthe discharge end of the induction tube 2l where# by a uniform mixture of fuel and airis produced `in the burner port I3 and a high combustion efiiciency obtained.

The number-:size and arrangement of the varies 21 maybe varied considerably but should be such as to prevent the air flowing around the rear end of the tubular body portion III from having any substantial component of velocity circumferentially of the body portion, as it enters the latter.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and explanation that the invention is characterized by an important advantage over burner constructions previously known in thatsmore uniform combustion conditions are obtained and a higher combustion eiciency. As an indication of the latter, I have found that in a specific application, the invention permits -a reduction of 15% in fuelconsumption necessary to deliver a given amount of heat. In addition to the operating advantages, the invention is of relatively simple construction so that it can be manufactured at relatively low cost. There is practically no problem of maintenance, furthermore, since the burner when once assembled and installed, is` a' substantially permanent fixture.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment only herein, it will be recognizedthat changes in the construction and municating with a port in a burner block, an air chamber extending around the outer end of the body portion having a wall spaced axially from said end,a fuel noziile extending into said end `ci' the body portion, and plane radial baiiies between said wall and said end, said baliles having a substantial width radially and being relatively closely spaced, so as substantially to prevent-the flow of air from said chamber into said body except by radial paths.

2. In a burner, an air chamber, a tubular body portion communicating with a port in a burner block and having its outer end extending through one wall of said chamber but terminating short of the opposite wall of said chamber, leaving an annular space for the admission of air from the chamber into said body portion, a fuel-supply tube extending into said end of the'body portion, and plane radial bailles in said space, said bailles having a substantial radial width and being relatively closely spaced so as substantially to prevent the flow of air from said chamber int-o said body except by radial paths.

3. In ai burner, a tubular body portion, com- 'municating with a port in a burner block, an

annular air chamber surrounding the outer end of the body portion and including a wall spaced axially from said end leaving an annular airsubstantially to prevent the flow of air from said body except by radial paths.

chamber into said FREDERICK S. BLOOM. 

